Maybe consider:
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
Chris Baker's A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire
http://www.theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/more-nco-gambits-and-repertoires
John Emms's Attacking with 1.e4
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627003909/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen29.pdf
http://www.theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/one-book-repertoires-online-bargain
Beating 1 e4 e5 by John Emms
The King’s Gambit by John Shaw
http://www.chessvibes.com/?q=review-the-king%E2%80%99s-gambit
The Ruy Lopez: Move by Move by Neil McDonald (2011)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627022042/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen153.pdf
Kaufman's original repertoire book, The Chess Advantage in Black and White
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626223458/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen62.pdf
http://www.theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/in-the-beginning-there-was-theory
Sam Collins's An Attacking Repertoire for White
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627122005/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen66.pdf
Neil McDonald's Starting Out 1.e4
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627032909/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen89.pdf
http://www.theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/opening-books-en-masse-part-3
Chess Openings for White, Explained by Alburt, Dzindzichashvili & Perelshteyn (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627032909/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen89.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626210017/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen132.pdf
http://www.theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/good...good...good...disastrous
A Chess Opening Repertoire for Blitz and Rapid by Evgeny and Vladimir Sveshnikov
Coming soon:
Playing 1.e4 - Sicilian & French by John Shaw
Playing 1.e4: Caro-Kann, 1...e5 & Minor Lines by John Shaw
A Simple Chess Opening Repertoire For White by Sam Collins
I'm a fairly new player, in the 1300s or so, and looking for a White opening recommendation starting from 1. e4 e5, this will be the first opening that I actually "learn". Right now I generally follow through the first few moves of an Italian or Ruy but I'd like to understand the ideas better and know more about how to follow up beyond move 3-4.
fyi - I've settled on the Scandinavian Defense for black, and for the time being I'm not going to invest time in anything but the open game since it seems to form the majority of my games. Better to put that time to tactics, etc... I think.
My requirements:
1. Must have a really good book available, preferably from within the last 10 years.
2. Book must include good explanation of ideas (such as Move by Move series), not just long lists of moves and "white is better" at the end as many of the older books tend to be like. I am good at understanding concepts that are explained well and can learn quickly.
3. Should encourage tactical games, not a boring closed method of play. An opening which includes a gambit option somewhere probably gets a minor plus.
4. Should be fun to play!
5. Should lead to games that favor the player who plays well, not the one that memorizes the furthest.
6. I have limited time (5 year old son and other hobbies) to study
7. As long as the opening "works" up to about 2000, I don't care whether it's considered viable in high level play.
8. Ideally I'd like an opening where I get to play "my" opening a high percentage of the time rather than getting yanked out of it by black's responses.
If you can include a book recommendation along with the opening, that would be great as well. Thanks!